# petard

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɪˈtɑːd/ · frequency rank #97,432

## Definitions
1. A small, hat-shaped explosive device, used to breach a door or wall.
2. Anything potentially explosive, in a non-literal sense.
3. A loud firecracker.

## Etymology
From Middle French petard; see Modern French pétard (“firecracker”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/petard